System of purifying municipal water-supplies.



'No. 713,896. Patented Nov. I8, I902.

P. J. A. MAIGNEN.

SYSTEM OF PURIFYING MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLIES.

(Application filed Oct. 2, 1901.)' A (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 7l3,896. Patented Nov. is, I902;

v P. J. A. MAIGNEN.

SYSTEM OF PUBIFYING MUNICIPAL WATER SUPPLIES.

(Application filed Oct. 2, 1901.1 (No'IodeL) 3 Shaetv-Shet 2.

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PROSPER JEAN AUGUSTE MAIGNEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SYSTEM OF PURIFYING MUNICIPAL WATER-SUPPLIES.

SPECIFIUATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 713,896, dated November18, 1902.

Application filed October 2, 1901. Serial No. 77,327. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PROSPER J EAN AUGUSTE MAIGNEN, of Philadelphia, inthe State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Systems of Purifying Municipal Water-Supplies, whereofthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

Hitherto it has been usual to purify large water-supplies by allowingthe bulk of suspended matter to settle in sedimentation basins orreservoirs and then conveying the supernatant water directly to afilter-bed, which completes the purification.

It has been found in practice that the old system aforesaid isimpracticable for the treatment of water containing a large quantity ofsuspended matter, such as that found in the rivers Schuylkill andPotomac during freshets, for the reason that mere sedimentation does notremove sufficient of the suspended matter to fit the water forintroduction to the filter, and consequently the latter is eitherquickly choked and rendered inoperative by the deposit of sediment onits surface or the suspended matter, including the bacteria, isdischarged directly through the filter. The area of sedimentation basinsor reservoirs being practically limited, the difficuity aforesaid cannotbe obviated by in-- creasing the capacity of the basins, and the onlyexpedient hitherto devised to maintain the old system in practicaloperation is that of renewing the surface of the filter at shortintervals, which of course largely increases the cost of purificationbeyond that which would result if the water were properly preparedbefore application to the filter. The aforesaid increase in the cost ofpurification of water by the old systems aforesaid is threefold, asfollows: first, the cost of labor and material directly expended toeffect the renewal; second, the waste of the filtrate, it be ing wellknown that the initial issue of water following the cleaning of thefilter must be rejected because of its impurity due to the disturbancesof the filtering material incident to the cleaning operation; third, thebacterial efficiency of the filter is materially lessened by itsdisturbance, it being well known that the bacterial efficiency of afilter increases with the length of time that the filter has remainedundisturbed.

I have found that the ordinary sedimentation-basin may be utilized inconnection with a sand filter of either the slow or rapid sort or anyother form of a filter and the life of the filter maintained to aneconomical extent and the bacterial result improved by interposingbetween the basin and the filter an apparatus which I shall hereinafterterm a scrubber, it being characteristic of such apparatus that itremoves the bulk of the suspended matter carried by the water passingthrough it from the sedimentation-basin to the filter withoutinterrupting the continuous flow of the water. Apparatus adapted for thepeculiar use specified forms the subject-matter of Letters Patent of theUnited States No. 661,316, granted to me under date of November 6, 1900.Such apparatus in the present combination effects a result materiallydifferent from that secured by either the use of the sedimentation-basinor filter alone or by the simple combination of the basin with thefilter, the effect of the scrubber upon the combination as a whole beingevident in the increase in life and average effi ciency of the filterand in the very material reduction in the cost of the filtrate. Forinstance, I have found in practice with the improved system aforesaidthat a filter which when used alone or merely in combination withasedimentation-basin required to be renewed at intervals of ten orfifteen days, when employed in combination with a scrubber can beoperated at its full capacity for a period ranging from forty-five tosixty days.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I shows a typical embodiment of myinvention. Fig. II is a view similar to Fig. I, but showing a modifiedarrangement. Figs. III and IV are vertical sectional views of convenientforms of scrubbers. Fig. V is a fragmentary sectional view showing theconstruction of one of the wash-outlet valves. Fig. VI is a fragmentaryplan view showing the removable relation of the baffie-plates withrespect to the casing.

Referring to Fig. I, the sedimentation basin or reservoir 1 is providedwith the outletconduit 2, leading to the filter-bed 3, and interposedbetween said basin 1 and said bed 3 is the scrubber 4, arranged toreceive the direct flow of the water 5 from the basin 1 to the filter 3.Said scrubber 4 comprises an exterior casing 6, comprising a pluralityof impedimentors 7, interposed between the inlet 8 and outlet 9 and soarranged as to arrest the bulk of suspended matter without interruptingthe continuous flow of the water. Said impedimentors 7 may consist offragments of ceramic, as indicated at the left-hand side of Figs. IIIand IV, or may consist of loose masses of porous elastic material, suchas wood fibers, as indicated at the right-hand side of said figures, orsaid two materials may be used in combination, as indicated. It is to benoted, however, that the interstices of the impedimentors are of suchsize as to permit the free passage of the water without interrupting itscontinuous flow from said sedimentation-basin to the filter.

In the form of scrubber shown in Fig. I the normal flow of the waterfrom the sedimentation-basin to the filtrate is from the inlet 8 to theoutlet 9, and the sediment deposited in the mass of impedimentors 7 bythe normal flow of the water, as aforesaid, may be conveniently removedby passing a current of water through the scrubber in the directionopposite to the normal direction of flow. In order that said washingoperation may be conveniently efiected, I provide the conduit 2 with abranch 10 at the top of the casing 6 and provide the latter with aWaste-outlet 11 at its bottom. The inlet 8 and outlet 9 beingrespectively provided with valves 12 and 13 and the branch inlet 10 andwaste-outlet 11 being respectively provided with valves 14 and 15, thewater may be caused to flow at the will of the operator either from thebottom inlet 8 to the top outlet 9 or from the top inlet 10 to thebottom outlet 11, or if it becomes necessary to deliver the waterdirectly from the sedimentation-basin to the filter such result can besecured by opening both the valves 13 and 14.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. I the scrubber 4 is arrangedupon the same level as the filter 3. However, under some circumstances Ifind it convenient to locate the filter 3 on a level below that of thescrubber 4, as indicated in Fig. II. In said figure I have shown amodified arrangement of the conduits wherein the outlet 11 connects withthe pipe 2, controlled by the valve 16, leadingbasin to the scrubber andthe conduit 21 leads from the scrubber 20 to the filter. Said scrubbercomprises the casing 23, in which are baffie-plates 24, which may beeither fixed or movable and arranged so that the normal course of thewateris from the inlet 19 to the outlet 21. The water being compelled totake the tortuous path indicated by the arrows deposits the bulk of itssuspended matter in the mass of impedimentors 25. I find it convenientto support said impedimentors 25 upon the foraminous floors 26 above thehoppers 27, in which the sediment collects prior to its removal. Saidhoppers 27 are connected with the waste-pipe 28 by branches 29,controlled by respective valves 30. I also provide waste-outlets 32,controlled by valves 33 at the top of the casing 23, which outlets arein communication with the pipe 34, leading to the waste-pipe 28 andcontrolled by the valve 35.

The arrangement above described is such that the scrubber 20 may becleaned without interrupting the fiow of water through it. For instance,by opening any one of the valves 30 a portion of the water flowing fromthe inlet 19 toward the outlet 21 is diverted through the respectivebranch 29 to the wastepipe 28 and washes down the sediment depositedwithin the impedimentors overlying the respective hopper 27, or bypartially closing the valve 22 in the pipe 21 the sediment depositedupon the top of the impedimentors may be washed out with the risingwater through the waste-pipe 32 by opening any one of the valves 33leading thereto.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. IV the pipe 38 leads from thesedimentationbasin to the scrubber 39 and the pipe 40 leads from saidscrubber 39 to the filter. Said pipe 38 is provided with branches 42 43,re spectively controlled by valves 44 45, and the pipe 40 is providedwith branches 47 48, respectively controlled by valves 49 50, so thatthe course of the water through the scrubber may be varied at the willof the operator by manipulation of said valves. The scrubber casing 52is provided with baffie-plates 53, which maybe either fixed or movableand arranged so that the normal course of the water is that indicated bythe arrows. In this form of my invention portions of the mass ofimpedimentors within the casing 52 may be removed and replaced withoutinterrupting the operation of the scrubber. Said impedimentors beingdivided into three portions, respectively, upheld by the hoppers 55,provided with slide-gates 56, the latter may be independently operatedto separately discharge the particular portion of impedimentorssupported thereby.

It is to be noted that each of the forms of scrubber above described maybe controlled independently of the filter to give any desired degree ofpreparedness to the water before its delivery to the filter.

I do not desire to limit myself to the precise construction andarrangement which I have illustrated, as it is obvious that variousmodifications may be made therein in accordance with the nature of theWater to be treated Without departing from the essential features of myinvention.

I claim 1. In a system for purifying large watersupplies; thecombination with a settlingbasin; of a scrubber and a granular-bedfilter; conduits connecting said basin, said scrubber and said filter inseries relation, arranged to discharge the Water from said basin to saidfilter through said scrubber; a mass of impedimentors in said scrubber,having interstices of such size as to permit the free passage of theWater Without interrupting its continuous flow; said impedimentors beingarranged to permit the Water to flow directly from the bottom to the topthereof, substantially as set forth.

2. In a system for purifying large watersupplies; the combination with asettlingbasin; of ascrubberand a granular-bed filter; conduitsconnecting said basin, said scrubber and said filter in series relation,arranged to discharge the Water from said basin to said filter throughsaid scrubber; a mass of impedimentors in said scrubber havinginterstices of such size as to permit the free passage of the WaterWithout interrupting its continuous flow; said inipedimentors beingarranged to permit the Water to flow directly from the bottom to the topthereof; and, a layer of elastic material at the discharge-surface ofsaid mass ofimpedimentors, substantially as set forth.

3. In a system for purifying large Watersupplies; the combination with agranularbed filter; of a scrubber; conduits connecting said scrubber andsaid filter in series relation, arranged to discharge the water fromsaid basin to said filter through said scrubber; a mass of impedimentorsin said scrubber having interstices of such size as to permit the freepassage of the water Without interrupting its continuous flow; saidimpedimentors being arranged to permit the water to flow directly fromthe bottom to the top thereof; and means to reverse the direction offlow of Water, to wash said impedimentors, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this 21st day of September, 1901.

PROSPER JEAN AUGUSTE MAIGNEN.

W'itnesses:

ARTHUR E. PAIGE, MILDRED BARNHART.

